Sunday, May 27, 2012

The Holy Spirit, who came on Pentecost, gave voice to the apostles to proclaim the truth of the Gospel. The Spirit, the Soul of the Church, continues to enable the Church to speak, and enables us to speak in our individual capacity. As Cardinal Elio Sgreccia, former President of the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy for Life has said, “The Church must speak out in today's context on fundamental rights, the right to justice, the right to peace, but above all and in the first place, the right to life. If the Church did not speak, did not proclaim the truth, it would be abandoning its duty; it would be unfaithful to society, to the good of society. Therefore, its precise duty is the very liberty to intervene with word, and also with example -- the example of promoting human life, of intervening for the salvation of mankind."

Every Sunday, Every Sunday, I post these pro-life materials, generously offered for distribution by Priests for Life. These posts coincide with the Church calendar and add a pro-life flavor to the day's readings. This is my Sunday effort to help us all think with a pro-life heart.

As is the practice over at Catholic Sistas, a blog to which I contribute, Sunday posts will be scheduled ahead of time in order to leave that day for Church and family..PS. Learn about Lady Ribbon’s Entry Into Our Lives… a ribbon that truly speaks to Catholic women with regard to breast cancer with a focus on pro-life awareness.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Memorial Day Weekend! The family will arrive in droves tomorrow after Mass. As usual, our 25 acres and sprawling living space will be the gathering place...have I mentioned that I love my big family?! Rick is a great Sous Chef (this will probably get me in trouble - lol) and Chef in his own right and handles the meat and most breads for our food extravaganzas. One of his favorites is making pulled pork. This year I decided to come up with an accompanying coleslaw recipe that not only compliments this tender, savory meat dish but can also stand on its own.

I introduce you to my newly created Zesty Coleslaw for Barbecue. Eat it alone or join the southeastern trend of putting it directly ON your sandwich!

Thursday, May 24, 2012

How dare a government dictate that a Catholic employer must hire and serve only Catholics to be worthy of religious conscience protections? Since when is the charity that begins at home, confined to home?

The Catholic Church has done more than any other institution, religious or secular, in advancing the good of any and all people, whether in healthcare, education, or assisting the poor. If Mother Church is confined to giving aid to such a narrow demographic, the value of her services to the world would be devastated–and ineffective. We must be allowed to give succor to those who are in most need, regardless–no, despite!–the narrow parameters set by the government...more

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Are You Registered to Vote? The Catechism of the Catholic Church says, “Submission to authority and co-responsibility for the common good make it morally obligatory … to exercise the right to vote” (2240). Pope John Paul II wrote in 2003, "Certainly the Christian vision leads to the expectation of "new heavens" and "a new earth" (Rev 21:1), but this increases, rather than lessens, our sense of responsibility for the world today. I wish to reaffirm this forcefully at the beginning of the new millennium, so that Christians will feel more obliged than ever not to neglect their duties as citizens in this world" (Ecclesia de Eucharistia, n. 20). Please make sure you are ready to exercise this Christian responsibility by registering and voting in the primaries and the General Election.

~Fr. Frank Pavone, Priests for Life

TODAY'S READINGS:

Acts 1:15-17, 20a, 20c-261 Jn 4:11-16Jn 17:11b-19

Seventh Sunday of Easter, Cycle B - May 20, 2012

Every Sunday, Every Sunday, I post these pro-life materials, generously offered for distribution by Priests for Life. These posts coincide with the Church calendar and add a pro-life flavor to the day's readings. This is my Sunday effort to help us all think with a pro-life heart.

As is the practice over at Catholic Sistas, a blog to which I contribute, Sunday posts will be scheduled ahead of time in order to leave that day for Church and family..

Friday, May 18, 2012

One of my blogging sisters made a comment last night about how she felt that she has arrived in the blogging world because one of her posts had received a snarky comment - her first. With tongue-in-cheek, I responded that I was 'non-validated' because I hadn't received a single negative - ever. Was I being too cautious in my posting? After all, I can generate really snarky comments in person or on Facebook! Or was my readership not what it should be? The numbers are pretty good considering I'm just a housewife in rural KY.

Today, though, I found validation! OK, so it wasn't that sought after snarky comment, but...my CatholicSistas post was picked up by The Pulpit! Granted, it's not one of my 'deeper' posts, exploring spiritual growth or advocating for the unborn, but still...

I feel my needed sense of validation - I know it's pitiful to admit this, but come on, don't all bloggers have just a touch of healthy (?) narcissum? After all, why else do we 'put it out there' for all the world to see (at least we hope they see what we post)?

Although I am still waiting for my first snarky comment - the ones that I get in my Facebook inbox don't count (cowards!) - the waiting is now a bit more bearable.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

This Mother's Day, after Mass, we went to visit my husband's 96 year old grandmother in the nursing home. As we sat there, in the dining room with her, I was once again struck by the vulnerability of these 'oldsters'. They sit in their chairs, day in - day out, and rely on someone else to give them compassionate care. Much like a newborn, they simply cannot do for themselves.

Ma Peak, as we have always called her, has dementia. This lovely lady actually lived alone until a few years ago; her husband died in 1994, the same year as my mother and Rick's mother - her only child. From that point on, she became our 'other child'. We brought her groceries, became her guardians, and took her to doctors' appointments until her mind began to fail and she became a danger to herself. A nursing home was the painful, only option. At first she struggled with this difficult decision of ours, but as her dementia worsened she became a resident in a world all her own. She knows certain things (and people) but the timeline is all wrong. Sometimes she is a young teen and speaks of her parents coming to get her. Other times she struggles with names and faces altogether. She shamelessly flirts, still loves anything pink, and remembers that Jesus loves her.

Some may wonder why we bother to keep up a regular stream of visits. After all, she really 'doesn't know anything'. The answer is simple - she knows she's happy when we're there. Whether or not she completely remembers our relationships or our children or her recent past, she finds joy in human contact. Much like an infant, she is dependent on others for everything. There are many similarities between oldsters and the very young:

They can't care for themselves...their source for basic necessities lies solely in the hands of others.

Their need for demonstrations of love is endless and innocent.

Cognitive skills are few but they know when they're happy - and when they're not!

We owe them all the love, care, and compassion we can muster.

Our concern for them is part of the cycle of life.

Babies have their moral duties still ahead of them - in their future. It is our obligation as parents, to instill this responsibility in them. Oldsters, on the other hand, have 'done their time'. They have been that example to us. They have been there whether or not we thought we needed them. They have operated out of sheer love for our benefit.

I remember being a young bride of 17 - finishing high school and then college. Ma Peak was there for us in our newly wedded confusion and bliss. She cooked meals and brought them over when she and Pa visited. Much to my chagrin, when I would clean she would wipe up right behind me - as if I didn't know what I was doing. As a Methodist, she attended Rick's entry into the Catholic Church when his parents wouldn't. When the first baby came (with one year of college remaining), she watched him while I finished college. After I became a stay-at-home mom, one year later, she still offered to give us some alone time by babysitting - even after there were two little ones.

I have a saying that I share with my children or siblings when they are living through one of life's hard knocks.

'All you need to remember is, be the best (fill in name) you can be!'

As we strive to be 'the best me' we can be, remember that aged and infant alike, rely on us. We are a part of their cycle of earthly life. May we all strive to bring compassion to everyone who is placed into our lives. Young or old, they deserve LOVE!

Sunday, May 13, 2012

A Prayer for Those Afraid of their Motherhood

Lord God, we thank you, the Source of Life, for all those who have welcomed and nurtured our lives. In particular, we thank you for our mothers, who with trust in you and self-sacrifice beyond description, have made it possible for us to live and praise you today. Give them the reward of their labors.

Today, Lord, we also pray for mothers who are afraid of being mothers. We pray especially for those carrying a child within them, but afraid to bring that child to birth. Look with favor on these, your daughters, and give them trust and strength. Enable them to give themselves to their children, as you give yourself to us, and to experience the joys of motherhood. Enable us to do our part to encourage them and provide for their needs. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

~Fr. Frank Pavone, Priests for Life

Today's Readings:

Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-481 Jn 4:7-10Jn 15:9-17

Every Sunday, I post these pro-life materials, generously offered for distribution by Priests for Life. These posts coincide with the Church calendar and add a pro-life flavor to the day's readings. This is my Sunday effort to help us all think with a pro-life heart.

As is the practice over at Catholic Sistas, a blog to which I contribute, Sunday posts will be scheduled ahead of time in order to leave that day for Church and family..PS. Learn about Lady Ribbon’s Entry Into Our Lives… a ribbon that truly speaks to Catholic women with regard to breast cancer with a focus on pro-life awareness.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Mother's Day is a time of great joy for many. It is a time for mothers to cherish motherhood and for children to remember their mothers. It is a time when fathers honor the mother of their children and when we all honor our grandmothers, aunts, sisters, and woman friends. It is also a time of sadness for those of us who have lost their mothers.

The anniversary of my mother's death was just memorialized on May 4th - 18 years of being without my mother and best friend. This Mother's Day, I thought it only fitting to write a letter to Mom and tell her what I think of when I reflect on her life...

Dear Mom,Mother's Day is coming up tomorrow and my children, grandchildren and husband will all try to let me know how much I am loved. It is truly a bittersweet time for me, however. You see, although I am wife, mother, and Nana, I am also a daughter. You made me a daughter some 54 years ago when you struggled through a breach birth - I was butt first - on a sultry July day in a German hospital. Your labor was intense and you were not medicated...as a mother myself, I can only imagine your pain! But you bore it and you loved me despite our rocky start. As all mothers do, you made all 6 of us feel like we were each the favored one. We were all special in our own ways and we knew, from the beginning, that we were deeply and unconditionally loved. There was more than that, to show for your life, however. In this poor attempt, I want to address what inspired me about you and what made me laugh at your endearing qualities.

Birgit, Mutti, und Uwe - Germany

1). You were faithful - always! Although I was born into your marriage to an abusive German, who you subsequently felt the need to divorce, you never gave up on teaching your children the faith. Yes, you strayed. After our father cheated on you and then left you with two small children, you picked up your life and worked hard at making a family for us. When he stole my brother - your first son, at the tender age of two - you continued to look for him for years and years. You remarried, outside the Church, but gave me an adoptive father and more siblings. This wasn't the brightest spot in your faith-life, but you never denied us the opportunity to live as faithful Catholics. Although you could not participate, you made sure we all received our sacraments - at the proper times. You shed copious tears that did not go unnoticed because you couldn't participate but we never missed a Mass or opportunities for confession for all of those years. Even my father, the atheist, had to grudgingly respect you for that! When we moved to the US and you were finally granted an annulment, Dad converted and you married in the Church. Your witness showed all of us that, although your life wasn't perfect, you strove to learn from and correct your mistakes. You didn't just tell us what to do, you showed us the value of sticking to your faith and seeking redemption. I still chuckle at how we decorated the station wagon that day, with cans tied to the bumper and a sign that said 'Just married, congrats Mom and Dad!'.2). You respected the aged and your extended family. I know that it can't have been easy for you to bring your Uncle Joe - debilitating asthma and all - to the US with us, but you did. You honored him as vital part of our family and took care of him and welcomed him into our home until the day he died. It wasn't always easy to have little children and an invalid in the house, but you managed with grace. Again, your example showed us how to live a godly life and the respect of all types of people. The lesson learned was invaluable. Dignity for all and a love beyond measure.3.) You rose above prejudice. When we moved to the US - to a dry county in Kentucky and then Florida - you were completely out of your element. From big city life with all of the amenities, to small town USA with all of the ignorance shown to both your nationality and your faith - and all of the accompanying prejudice. From having neighbors come to your front porch to tell you that you were going to hell for drinking a beer to the swastika painted on the white fence in our yard, you rolled with the punches. Living in a town where Catholics were maligned just made your faith all the stronger and you won the respect and understanding of your many Protestant friends. We saw, pondered, and learned.4). You were active in moral struggles. I learned to be an advocate from you. Although abortion didn't become legal until a few months later, you demonstrated unconditional love when I was the victim of unwanted advances from a neighborhood boy. I became pregnant at 14 and I remember how horribly that affected you, but you stayed the course. You showed me, by your actions, that excuses aren't the answer and there's no quick way out. Sometimes you just have to live with the hand that you are dealt - with grace. You and Dad adopted the baby, although you were pregnant yourself at that point. Those two little boys - just 5 months apart - grew up as brothers, even though they knew the truth from the beginning. Again, you didn't shy away from the right choices. You took the hand that was dealt and you owned it - you took the high road!5.) You lived joyfully. Always the life of the party, you won people over by the sheer joy of your life. You had a captive audience, listening to you spin your yarns of life in Germany. You danced and sang with gusto - you gave speeches and taught the language to students. You studied hard and became a proud citizen of the United States of American while never losing pride in your German heritage. Your instructor even chose you to give the graduation speech and you were on television. You lived with an exuberance that we are hard put to emulate!6.) You were unique. From the entertaining combo of your acquired Southern/German accent to your beer drinking songs, there was no other mother like you! You enjoyed everyone with whom you came into contact. To this day, whenever I post your photo on Facebook - for an anniversary or your birthday - after 18 years, there are still countless comments about the impact you had on others. You taught joy and love by your life and actions. Your endearing quirks still make me smile. I remember Fr. Wathen's shocked face when you called the Three Kings the Three Wise Guys! You said 'atmosfairy' rather than atmosphere and your pronunciation of oregano, with the accent on third syllable still brings a smile to this day. Even the fact that you could paste a smile on your face, while giving me a dressing down in German, makes me giggle now. My friends never knew!I cherish these memories and so much more. While I will never be a carbon copy of you, I have become who I am by your example. When my family enjoys my company or asks my moral advice - the thanks goes to you. I wouldn't be who I am, had I not lived in the glow of your bigger than life presence. The German recipes, the wonderful German Catholic traditional Christmas celebrations, and the little German nursery rhymes I sing to 'Nana's Kiddies'...they all come from you. God bless you, Mutti, on this Mother's Day and always! You continue to light up our lives with your presence and I see you in that first bright, twinkling star of every evening! Ich Liebe Dich!

Friday, May 11, 2012

Pierogies are a type of boiled dumpling or pasta pocket that are stuffed with various ingredients, usually including, but not limited to, mashed potatoes. They are a wonderful and tasty alternative to pasta or gnocchi in one-dish meals. Pierogies can be deep fried, sauteed or boiled. For this dish I sauteed them in butter.

Stroganoff is a dish usually based on beef (strips or cubes) that is browned and then served in a sauce made with sauteed onions, mushrooms, sour cream, and herbs. For meatless Fridays, however, I have developed the following recipe:

Ingredients:

1 can cream of mushroom soup

2/3 cup sour cream

3/4 cup milk

1 T Worcestershire sauce

1 T basil

3 T butter

1 onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 pkg mushrooms, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

1 bag pierogies (I buy them at Walmart)

Directions:

In a crock pot, combine the first 5 ingredients and set to 'low'

Melt 2 T butter in a skillet and saute onions until caramelized

Add green peppers and allow to sweat

Add garlic and saute for another 2 minutes

Stir the vegetables into the sauce

Melt 1 T butter in a skillet and add pierogies, cook until brown and warm inside

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

As the wife of a former Pork Producer, I had to learn my way around the 'other white meat'. This recipe, adapted from one I found on All Recipes (dot) com, is packed full of flavor, healthy veggies, and lean pork!

First order of business? Grab a bottle of wine, as Julia Child used to say (and I'm paraphrasing), maybe a bit of it will wind up in your dish as well. For this meal, might I suggest a nice dry white?
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Ingredients:

2 T olive oil

1 large onion, sliced

1 pork roast (loin)

1 jar pasta sauce

1 can diced tomatoes

1 green bell pepper sliced

1 pkg fresh mushrooms, sliced

2 large cloves garlic, minced

2 T Italian seasoning

1 T basil

1/2 cup dry white wine (see I told you!)

2 cups grated Parmesan cheese (use the good stuff and grate it yourself)

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Directions:

In a large cast iron skillet, brown pork roast thoroughly and then place in crock pot.

In the same pan, cook onion in oil until caramelized. Add garlic and allow to cook for 2 minutes. Reserve.

Do the same with the mushrooms until they are nicely cooked. If your pan is small, cook mushrooms in two batches so that their natural moisture doesn't 'steam' them. Reserve.

Now sweat the green peppers.

Combine all of the vegetables, pasta sauce, seasoning and wine. Pour over pork roast in crock pot and allow to simmer for 4-6 hours on medium.

Since there is a vast difference in crock pots, you might want to adjust the setting. Mine cooks very hot and I make sure that it's simmering but not outright bubbling.

Spoon Pork Cacciatore over pasta and then sprinkle with a goodly amount of grated cheese, allowing it to melt!

Serve with the remaining white wine - or a new bottle - and ENJOY!

NOTE: this would also make an excellent (and quicker) meatless dish, served over pasta or zucchini.

Sunday, May 6, 2012

On February 27, 2006, Pope Benedict XVI said the following in a talk to the Pontifical Academy for Life:“The sacred books, in fact, set out to show God's love for every human being even before he has been formed in his mother's womb.

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you" (Jer 1: 5), God said to the Prophet Jeremiah. And the Psalmist recognizes with gratitude: "You did form my inward parts, you did knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for you are fearful and wonderful. Wonderful are your works! You know me right well" (Ps 139[138]: 13-14).

These words acquire their full, rich meaning when one thinks that God intervenes directly in the creation of the soul of every new human being.

God's love does not differentiate between the newly conceived infant still in his or her mother's womb and the child or young person, or the adult and the elderly person. God does not distinguish between them because he sees an impression of his own image and likeness (Gn 1: 26) in each one.

He makes no distinctions because he perceives in all of them a reflection of the face of his Only-begotten Son, whom "he chose... before the foundation of the world.... He destined us in love to be his sons... according to the purpose of his will" (Eph 1: 4-6).”

Every Sunday, I post these pro-life materials, generously offered for distribution by Priests for Life. These posts coincide with the Church calendar and 'contain three elements: a one-paragraph bulletin insert, General Intercessions, and suggestions for drawing pro-life themes out of the Sunday reading for the homily'. This is my Sunday effort to help us all think with a pro-life heart.

As is the practice over at Catholic Sistas, a blog to which I contribute, Sunday posts will be scheduled ahead of time in order to leave that day for Church and family..PS. Learn about Lady Ribbon’s Entry Into Our Lives… a ribbon that truly speaks to Catholic women with regard to breast cancer with a focus on pro-life awareness.

Designs by Birgit

Birgit Jones is a 50-something cradle Catholic who is passionate about the Church and the prolife movement. A graduate of Brescia University, she has employed her Bachelor of Art degree in pursuits ranging from Executive Director of Right to Life groups to Field Representative to Congressman Ron Lewis (R-KY).

She has been married to her Catholic convert husband, Rick, for 40 years. They have four children and eight living grandchildren (all age eleven and under). Their frequent visits eliminate any fear of an empty nest!

Birgit can also be found on her personal blog Designs By Birgit and Facebook fan page Designs By Birgit, where she utilizes her advertising and public relations experience to promote Life through her pro-life memes.